Index mechanism



June 26, 1951' J. H. WILLIAMS 2,558,502

INDEX MECHANISM Filed Nov. 10, 1948 INVENTOR. JOHN H MLL/A MS "W'QMU;

Arron/ms) Patented June 26, 1951 INDEX MECHANISM John H. Williams, Harrington, Ill., assignor to Oak Mfg. 00., Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application November 10, 1948, Serial No. 59,209

1 Claim. 1

Figure 2 is a detail of one portion of the mechanism. Figure 3 is a sectional view on line 33 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a detail of one portion of the index;

mechanism. Figure 5 is a section on broken line 5-5 of Figure 4.

Figures 6 and 7 are plan and side views respectively of a plate part.

Referring now to the drawings, shaft l0 carries thereon bushing l I having shoulder portion I2 and reduced end portion I3 as shown. The bushing and shaft are both of metal. Bushing II is retained against endwise movement on shaft M by C washer I6 disposed in suitable slot IT in shaft 10.

Disposed against shoulder I2 is plate preferably of steel and a member having clip portion 2| cut out therefrom. Clip portion 2| has portion 22 for locking the clip to the bushing. At portion 23 of plate 20 a suitable aperture is provided with the metal shaped to provide a channel and disposed in this channel is ball bearing 25. Clip 2| is of spring metal and bears against ball bearing 25 and urges the same downwardly as seen in Figure 5. Plate 20 and portion 22 are maintained in a position against shoulder l2 by peaning th end of the bushing at I3.

Rigidly secured to shaft I0 is index plate 29 having a plurality of teeth 30 formed around the edge of disc 29 and extending generally parallel to the axis of shaft In. The teeth of the index plate extend toward plate 20 as shown in Figure 1. The shape of the teeth and spacing between adjacent teeth are properly related to the diameter of ball 25 so that when the parts are assembled as shown in Figure 1, the ball bearing will tend to fall in a space between two adjacent teeth.

It is understood that the index mechanism is mounted upon a suitable support by threading bushing I l therethrough and clamping the same tightly by means of a locknut not shown, in the usual fashion. Hence it may be assumed that in use, bushing I l and plate 20 as well as clip 21 and ball hearing will remain stationary. Rotation of shaft 10 will cause serrated disc 29 to turn with respect to the ball bearing.

The index mechanism shown may be used with any suitable switch mechanism such as shown in general form in Figure 1.

In order to define the angular extent of the index range, car 32 may be struck up from index plate 29. This ear extends toward plate 20. Plate 20 has ears 33 and 34 struck down therefrom. These ears cooperate with ear 32 so that car 32 will travel only between the two cars.

What is claimed is:

An index mechanism comprising a shaft, a bushing on said shaft, a flat plate rigidly supported on said bushing and having an apertured portion eccentric with respect to said shaft, a ball bearing disposed in said apertured portion, a spring clip carried by said bushing and having a portion overlying the ball bearing and urging the neath said ball bearing and the teeth being sufficiently close to the apertured plate portion so that the ball bearing is retained in position at all times, said bushing and plate and ball. bearing being adapted to be stationary and the shaft and toothed member being rotatable whereby said ball bearing is urged by the spring clip into the space between adjacent teeth for index action.

JOHN H. WILLIAMS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record :in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,121,750 Miller Dec. 22, 1914 1,185,467 Beauchamp l May 30 1916 1,715,015 Soreng May 28, 1929 1,740,977 Freers Dec. 24, 1929 2,130,219 Allison et al Sept. 13, 1938 2,153,430 Newman Apr. 4, 1939 2,292,717 Rubinstein Aug. 11, 1942 

